- Leeds suffered their first Championship defeat since November on Sunday
- Colby Bishop scored the only goal of the game for Portsmouth at Fratton Park
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Is Alisson the best goalkeeper in the Premier League?
In the spring sunshine, the all too familiar chant rang around a bouncing Fratton Park as the Portsmouth fans began to sing, ‘Leeds, Leeds are falling apart again.’
When Leeds welcomed West Brom last weekend, they had the opportunity to go 10 points clear of the play-offs. By the time Daniel Farke’s side next play on Wednesday against Milwall, they could be out of the automatic promotion places.
Here on the south coast, Leeds’s grip on the Championship was loosened by John Mousinho’s spirited Portsmouth side who were deserved winners thanks to Colby Bishop’s second-half goal.
For a wasteful Leeds, this was a first defeat in the league since November and one that ended an impressive 17-game unbeaten run. They remain top of the league on goal difference alone.
Less than a fortnight after the ecstasy of winning late at Bramall Lane and creating breathing space at the summit, that advantage has been wiped out.
It’s hardly a crisis yet but this was the kind of afternoon that brought up memories of their late season capitulation last season. Leeds cannot afford that again.
Leeds tasted defeat in the league for the first time since November by losing 1-0 at Portsmouth
Colby Bishop (right) scored the only goal of the game at Fratton Park on Sunday afternoon
‘We’re disappointed – I was aware that this would be one of, if not the toughest game in our run-in because no team has won as many home games in 2025,’ said Farke. ‘We created so many good chances. If we have a good day, we score five or six. If we have a normal day, we score two or three,’ he added.
Mousinho, like so many of his counterparts, called Leeds the best team in the division but his side played without fear at a ground that is once again becoming a fortress.
It’s now nine wins in their last 12 at home, with Portsmouth now 10 points clear of the drop.
‘We were superb, for the goal and the performance. It was all excellent,’ said Mousinho.
Despite lying 17th in the table, his side matched the league leaders in terms of intensity from the outset but Leeds should have been ahead by the break – first they were denied a penalty when Dan James was brought down by Matt Ritchie then, just before the interval, they had the best chance of the half when the rebound from Manor Solomon’s strike fell to Joel Piroe, who failed to convert.
It was a terrific double save by Nicolas Schmid but Piroe had to score. If that was a bad miss, the one after the break had the Championship’s top scorer with his head in his hands.
From a Leeds counter, James found Manor Solomon, who rounded Schmid and squared to Piroe but the striker blazed over from a few yards out with the keeper in no-man’s-land.
Leeds were made to pay. On the hour mark, Bishop – who had heart surgery over the summer – showed all the composure that Piroe lacked to finish past Illan Meslier after Connor Ogilvie’s long ball in behind.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke (left) consoled Junior Firpo (right) after Sunday’s surprise defeat
Despite the result, Leeds remain top of the Championship table – but only on goal difference
Not for the first time this season, Meslier didn’t cover himself in glory as he hesitated to come out.
Leeds pushed desperately for a leveller but lacked any clinical edge. First, Firpo was denied by Schmid and a minute later, his header hit the crossbar. And in injury time, Schmid pulled off the best save of the lot to deny Sam Byram and ensure there were no late Leeds heroics this time around as Portsmouth held on for one of the shock results of the season.
